1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automotive engine hood latch-mechanism for latching an engine hood of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 14, in the engine hood latch mechanism disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 2(1990)-43371, a vertical slit B is formed in a latch base member A fixed to the vehicle body and a striker C fixed to the engine hood is dropped into the vertical slit B and is brought into engagement with a fork lever in response to closure of the engine hood. The fork lever is locked in the position by a claw lever to lock the engine hood in the closed position. By releasing the fork lever from the claw lever, the engine hood can be opened.
In such a latch mechanism, a hook lever E sometimes mounted on the latch base A to be rotatable about a pivot D. The hook lever E is held in the position shown by the solid line under the force of a spring F, where it abuts against the striker C and closes the entrance of the vertical slit B. With this arrangement, the engine hood cannot abruptly lift even if the vehicle runs with the latch mechanism in an unlatched state since the striker C is once engaged with the hook lever E before it comes off the vertical slit B.
The hook lever E is moved between the closed position shown in the solid line where the hook portion e1 thereof closes the entrance of the vertical slit B and the open position shown by the chained line where the hook portion e1 is away from the vertical slit B. In order to limit the swinging range of the hook lever E, a pair of stopper portions g1 and g2 are formed by cutting and bending parts of the latch base A and a stopper lever portion e2 formed on the hook lever E is inserted between the stopper portions g1 and g2.
The hook lever E is generally stamped out from a sheet metal, and accordingly, when the stopper lever portion is formed on the hook lever E, the size of the hook lever E is enlarged and a number of hook lever E which can be obtained from a sheet metal is reduced.